The Ware County CTAE Department recently celebrated the conclusion of its Ware Wise Externship Program—Where Industry and School-Professionals Excel. This innovative initiative pairs classroom educators with local industry partners to provide real-world, hands-on experiences that deepen their understanding of today’s workforce needs.
This year’s Ware WISE participants included:
Cheryl Burden, Williams Heights Elementary, externed at Clayton Homes
Jeanette Causer, Center Elementary, externed at Okefenokee Swamp Park
Shonair Heard, Wacona Elementary, externed at Okefenokee Swamp Park
Libby Trogdon and Kayla Wilson, Ruskin Elementary, externed at Memorial Satilla Health
These dedicated educators spent time learning directly from industry professionals, gaining insights they’ll bring back to their classrooms to better connect instruction to local career opportunities.
Special thanks to the company representatives who made these experiences possible:
Clayton Homes – Bryan Hartley & Michelle Jordan
Okefenokee Swamp Park – Levi Welling & Katie Antczak
Memorial Satilla Health – Greg O’Quinn & Sarah Gove
The program was coordinated by Hannah Ganas, one of Ware County’s new Work-Based Learning coordinators, and Business Teacher David Rowland under the leadership of Kim B. Callahan, CTAE Director. A closing recognition event was held to honor the externs and thank the host sites for their commitment to workforce development and education.
Programs like Ware Wise demonstrate the power of school-community partnerships and underscore the importance of preparing students not just for graduation, but for life after it.